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'Hellboy' Creator Takes on Frankenstein Myth in New Comic Book Series

Mike Mignola/Dark Horse Comics

'Frankenstein Underground' will mix Mary Shelley's original take on the character with Boris Karloff's interpretation

Having steered the destiny of Hellboy for more than two decades, creator Mike Mignola is turning his attentions to another famously misunderstood monster next year, with Dark Horse Comics announcing the new series Frankenstein Underground Wednesday.

The miniseries spins out of the appearance of Frankenstein's Monster in 2011's Hellboy: House of the Living Dead graphic novel and will see the creature discovering "other monsters and the dark secrets of the universe," according to the publisher. The five-issue series will be written by Mignola, who will continue to write and draw Hellboy, with art by Ben Stenbeck. Mignola will also contribute covers to the run.

"It's intimidating as hell to take on an icon like the Frankenstein monster," Mignola said in a statement accompanying the announcement. He intends to create a story "that's true to the origin Mary Shelley created for the creature but also captures a bit of the feel that Boris Karloff brought to the role in the classic Universal films" with the series.

The series will be a firm part of the "Mignolaverse," according to Dark Horse, referring to the family of series built up around Hellboy since that character's debut in 1993. In addition to multiple Hellboy series, Dark Horse has published additional titles including BPRD, Abe Sapien, Lobster Johnson and Sledgehammer 44, all of which take place in the same fictional universe and feature some level of input from Mignola, whether in terms of story or visual design.